3 days ago
Downpour disrupts normal life; road, rail & air traffic hit; rivers in full spate
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Kochi/Thrissur/Kottayam: Heavy rain since Friday night caused widespread damage across several parts of Kerala, raising water levels in rivers and dams and sending normal life into disarray.
Road traffic was disrupted and even some flights to Kochi were diverted due to bad weather.
IMD said Southwest monsoon would remain intense across Kerala until July 29 due to the influence of a low-pressure area extending from Maharashtra coast to Kerala coast. Heavy rain is also caused by a depression over the Bay of Bengal. IMD issued a yellow alert for districts from Ernakulam to Kasargod for Sunday. Fishers should not venture into the sea off the Kerala-Karnataka-Lakshadweep coasts until July 30.
Incois has warned of possible sea surges and high waves reaching 2.8 to 3.4 metres along the Kasaragod and Alappuzha coasts until 8.30pm on Sunday.
Traffic on highways and roads in hill districts and cities, especially Kochi, was disrupted. Kochi-bound flights — Akash Air from Mumbai, Alliance Air flight from Agati and Indigo flight from Mumbai, scheduled to land at 11.15am, 11.45am and 12.20pm in that order — were diverted to nearby airports.
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In Kozhikode, rain and strong winds uprooted trees and damaged houses and vehicles. Electric poles were brought down, disrupting supply. Similar incidents were reported from Palakkad and Kannur districts.
Shutters of Banasura Sagar dam in Wayanad and Aliyar dam in Palakkad were raised. Residents living downstream have been advised to stay vigilant.
Irrigation Design and Research Board and Central Water Commission have issued alerts after several water levels in rivers including Manimala, Achankovil and Pamba rivers in Pathanamthitta; Vamanapuram in Thiruvananthapuram; Pallikkal in Kollam; and Thodupuzha in Idukki, have "risen dangerously".
People residing along riverbanks have been urged to exercise caution.
In Kottayam district, around 175 houses were partially damaged on Friday and Saturday, taking the number to 534 since monsoon's onset on May 24. Two houses were completely damaged. Fifty-four villages in the district have been affected by the rain.
Two relief camps were opened in the district — in Kottayam and Changanassery taluks — to which 19 people from four families were shifted.
In Alappuzha district, six relief camps were opened — three in Chengannur and one each in Kuttanad, Karthikapally and Cherthala — and around 73 people from 20 families have been shifted there.
Rail traffic was disrupted on the Alappuzha-Ernakulam route for one-and-a-half hours after a coconut tree fell on power cable above the track near Pathirappally around 8.15am on Saturday. Jan Shatabdi Express, Ernakulam-Alappuzha passenger and Alappuzha-Ernakulam Memu were delayed.
At Kalladikode in Palakkad, a family escaped narrowly after a coconut tree fell on their house on Friday. Many houses were damaged in the district due to the uprooting of trees.
Shutters of Parambikulam dam, Sholayar dam and Aaliyar dam were raised. Water levels in the Chalakudy and Chittur rivers are expected to go up.
In Thrissur, many low-lying areas were inundated. The second sluice valve of Peringalkuthu dam was opened.
The shutters of the Peechi reservoir are likely to be raised further on Sunday morning.
Three relief camps have been opened in Thrissur district and 132 people from 33 families have been shifted there.
Padiyoor near Irinjalakuda experienced strong winds on Saturday afternoon, causing widespread destruction. Uprooted trees fell on nearby houses at Varavoor, Chelakode, Edathirinji, Chavakkad, Kurumbilavu and Pulimuttam near Kodungallur.
